Realms of Valor - James Lowder [76]
Microsoft Word - Realms of Valor.rtf
before, a heart split in two. When she had last seen it, one side was blood red, the other black. Now both halves were crimson. The cat was Siobhan. “Guards!” Myrmeen shouted. Lord Zacharius shook his head. “They won't be able to respond, I'm afraid. The same magic that made the other soldiers sleep in the garden has been employed. We're quite alone in here, except for my people.” Myrmeen looked to the door and saw the solid, brutish, human forms of Niccolo and Sauveur. A dozen other cat lords crowded in behind them. Evon Stralana grabbed for his sword. Myrmeen looked at him sharply, raising one hand. Reluctantly he released the weapon. “You killed Penn Othmann,” Myrmeen said flatly. “Not at all,” Zacharius said, raising the cat slightly. “She was the one.” “Siobhan,” Myrmeen said. “Yes.” Lord Zacharius looked to the girl. Softly, he said, “Hello, child.” Myrmeen watched as Andreana drew back from him. “You have nothing to fear. You know that,” Zacharius began. “I have visited you many times. I told you that we would rescue you, if you would get what we wanted. We have fulfilled our end of the bargain. Will you renege on yours?” “My parents,” Andreana sobbed. “They're fine. Elhazir's threats were meaningless. Even if the woman had been telling you the truth, my people would have protected your parents, even in Daggerdale. You must believe that. You've seen tonight what we can do.” Nodding tearfully, Andreana reached into her pocket and drew out the mummified remains of a tiny leg that ended in a cat's paw. “Satsuma's remains,” Evon Stralana whispered. Myrmeen was staring at the amulet around Siobhan's neck when the words of her husband came to her: The dark miracle of vengeance will be mine. “The bones of Satsuma were a ruse,” she said flatly. “Nothing but a lie. This was about revenge.” “Yes,” Lord Zacharius replied as he bent low and allowed the black cat in his arms to leap free. It landed with only three legs and looked briefly to the doorway. Following the cat's gaze, Myrmeen saw the young mage, Walcott, standing between Niccolo and Sauveur. From his eyes, glittering even in the dark room, she could tell that he was one of them. At Othmann's shop, he'd tried to guide the investigation toward a murderous mage, away from the cat lords and the truth. As Myrmeen looked away from the mage and stared at the crippled cat, she tried to make sense of what she was seeing. This cat was Siobhan. She was certain of that. But what had happened to her leg? The cat lord who'd presented herself as Siobhan at the audience . .. Myrmeen thought of the high leather boots she'd worn, her graceless movements, and finally she understood. The cat went to the young girl and stopped before her. Andreana set the leg beside the crippled creature and drew back. The cat lord grew in size, its features widening, the hair retreating from its skin. Soon the naked, human form of Siobhan sat before them. Her left leg ended in a stump just past her hips. She reached for the cat's paw and held it to her breast as she fought to hold back